Haley Kicko Cliffs edge
"Come on Gina! Hurry up!" Emma yelled sprinting through the forest.
Easy for her to say. God knows how often Emma had been out here by herself. The knew the woods well. Also she was wearing pants while Regina's mother had made her wear the stupid pink dress again.
She knew if it got dirty there would be hell to pay when she got home.
"Wait up, Emma!" She didn't whine. Whining was for babies.
Emma abruptly stopped running and stared back at Regina with a big grin on her face. As if she had only waited from a word from Regina.
It takes a minute for her to catch up but when she's finally next to Emma the taller girl points through the trees.
"See, we're almost there."
They called it Troll Lake, because it flowed into a river that was crossed only by a toll bridge. Someone had sprayed in a R on the bridge sign and the name had stuck. Regina though it was silly, but nobody knew what you were talking about when you said Quintin Lake.
She followed Emma to the special tree she had been told about. Emma had said that one of older boys in the group home had bragged about climbing it and attaching a rope to the longest branch.
It hung almost completely still over the water with three large knots at the end of it.
While Emma's clothes landed carelessly strew in a bush somewhere, Regina gently folded her dress up and laid it on the tree stump close by. Emma had told her to wear a bathing suit under in preparation.
She had been planning this for weeks but only today had she been able to convince Regina to skip school. It was a bad idea. They were going to get caught. For Emma it didn't matter too much, skipping school was not a major enough offence to get you attention in the group home, but for Regina...Her mother was the mayor. No way was this not getting back to her.
Regina knew this for a fact, but yesterday when Emma had showed up with that big bruise, this time on her arm, Regina had decided that she deserved some fun.
"Do you wanna jump first?" Emma asked.
Regina silently shook her head.
"It's not so scary, look I'll go first and show you."
Regina wasn't scared! It was just a long drop, and the water was cold and she wasn't the best swimmer…
"Look Gina!" While Regina was debating, stepping from one foot to the other Emma already climbed part of the tree and pulled the rope to her by a thinner one attached to it.
"Be careful Emma!" Regina yelled up to her. Emma through her another one of those smiles.
Those smiles made Regina's stomach feel funny. It was why she wanted to be friends with Emma in the first place. Although she never would have said as much. Emma approached her first.
In no time Emma was swingin on the rope back and forth, her skinny little arms holding on tight while adding to her momento. Regina stepped closer to the water's edge to see better.
Only when the rope was in full swing did she let go with a scream. Regina held her breath as Emma splashed into the water belly first. She couldn't breathe. Not until she knew that Emma was okay. Not until she saw her.
Finally when Regina was already debating getting help from...somewhere.. Emma dove up above the water surface with a laugh so full of mirth it made Regina smile, and to her shame she released a tiny tear. She had been really worried.
"See, Gina it's fun!" Emma said swimming toward the beach.
Regina gave the still swinging rope a doubtful look. It's as if it was mocking her. But Emma wasn't.
"I don't want to Emma." She said. It wasn't yelled and she almost wished Emma hadn't heard her.
This is why they came her. This was for Emma. So she could forget everything and just have fun. But somehow Regina couldn't. She couldn't forget how once she had been brave and her mother had told her that only dumb girls take risks like that. She had been brave on her favorite mare and had fallen. And the next day Ginger had been put down.
"It's okay! Just come swim. I won't tell anybody!" Emma yelled. How did she do that? Make her voice sound not even a little disappointed, just genuine?
"Promis?" Regina asked.
"Allways!" Emma said laughing.
So Regina did. She swam out to Emma and they laughed and splashed until they were to tired. And only after they had dried off in the sand did Emma mention it again.
"We should climb the cliff!" Regina followed her line of sight to the jumping cliff of gray granite that was about 65 feet high.
"Emma…"
"You didn't jump, so you didn't really have any fun." Emma debated giving Regina a sad look, almost as if she felt guilty.
"I had fun!" Regina protested, but Emma was fishing her clothes from the bush already.
"No, come on Gina we have to climb the cliff."
Regina bit her lip. She wasn't a great fan of heights, but she too put on her dress.
They climbed the cliff, It wasn't too strenuous there was basically a beaten path already there, where countless, reckless kids had climbed before. Emma slipped a hand full of times, and when she did she turned back to tell Regina exactly where she had to be careful. What to watch out for. Regina followed close behind, the little voice in her head telling her although out that this the last stupid thing she'd do today.
When she finally reached the top Emma was standing in a Superman pose as if she had just conquered Everest. They both breathed heavily. The view was almost worth the climb.
The sun peeked out behind the vast forest bathing the lake in its light and in the far distance, they could see the tops of Storybrooke houses. Small and quaint but looking almost imposant from so far up.
"Gina, you gotta get close to the edge to see!" Emma said without turning around.
Again Regina's stomach felt heavy. Not in a good way. She moved closer to the edge and held on to Emma for were about 6 feet from it when Emma tried to move them closer.
"Come on let's jump here!" she said stepping forward.
"Don't push me!" Regina cried and moved back away from her.
Emma looks back at her with hurt in her eyes.
"I wasn't gonna…" She said.
Regina feels guilty for accusing her but they were just so close. She could nearly see the drop. When she looked out towards it she noticed something.
"Emma you're bleeding." Emma looks down to her knee unsurprised and shrugges.
"Come here." Regina demands and Emma follows her command sitting down close to her, away from the edge.
Regina took a closer look. Emma had craped her knee, probably during the climb. The wound was covered in gravel and dirt.
"I have bandaids in my bag and some disinfectant," They had left the bags by Regina's bike at the edge of the woods, "It'll hurt a little but it needs to be cleaned."
"Okay, Gina." Emma said a little dejected.
They climbed back down and after Regina tended to Emma's knee, Emma brought her home. Regina's mother didn't ask about the blood on her dress. She did however punish her severely for skipping school.
Years LaterIt was late. Emma had brought a blanket. Regina had taken her shoes off. The water below them was so calm it was a mirror of the stars above them. The moon was hiding behind the tallest of tree tops.
She didn't want to be here. Not that she didn't want to be here with Emma but here. This stupid rock at this stupid lake. In this stupid town.
"Are you cold?" Emma asked without look at her. He voice was flat.
Regina didn't answer. Emma had no right to be angry with her. She had stuck to the plan. She had gone to the prom with Daniel. They had danced and he had kissed her goodnight. That was what was supposed to happen.
Emma on the other had completely abandoned her to hang out with that scruffy person. They were supposed to go together. Instead Regina had been alone.
"Gina. Come on." She sounded almost remorseful now. Emma never stand the silence long.
"What Emma?" she hissed.
"Are you cold? You want my jacket?" She asked, now having turned to face Regina in favor of just staring off the cliff.
"It's not your Jacket." It was Neal's.
"It's still warm." Emma offered.
"I bet it is." Regina huffed under her breath. Emma knew how she felt about him. He was older and full of bad ideas. But it was hard to convince Emma of that.
They had so much in common. Emma had met him at one of those adoption events she hated going to. She had given up hope on being adopted before they even entered middle school. And Neal had swept her off her feet. Stolen her away.
"You can't be mad." Emma said simply.
"Is that so?" Regina said she could feel Emma begining to smirk. That she was answering her at all was a sign that Emma was winning this demented game. They didn't often fight but when they did Emma would wear Regina down with her idiotic tactics of being a dork.
"Yeah, cause this is the last day we're really gonna be us. The way we are now. So that means if you're mad at me today I'll remember you as mad."
"That is asinine." Regina said as she watched Emma take of Neals ugly jacket.
"Look Ms. SAT, you can deny it all you want but we're starting a new chapter and you want a good start right?" Emma argued, draping it over Regina's shoulders.
"We had a deal Emma."
"I know we did. But you know me. I just don't fit in with those people."
"And I do?!" She hated when Emma pretended that just because Regina was popular, that she wanted to spend with the neanderthals and barbie dolls they went to highschool with. She put up a front just as her mother had taught her.
"Gina. Can we not fight?" Emma asked scooting closer on the scratchy blanket.
"You're not even sorry." Regina grumbled.
"Sorry I didn't get to watch you wave your little crown around and make out with Pony boy?" Emma was getting irritated. She was lashing out in a way she knew would hurt Regina the most.
"We didn't make out! And don't call him that!" Her choices weren't her own. They were Cora's; they were always Cora's.
"That's right. Debutants don't kiss and tell right?" Emma mocked. Regina was so angry she stood up.
"You think you're so much better? Did you make out with scruff-face!?" Regina's voice was taking on a tone that reminded her too much of her mother but she was so angry Emma had ruined this night for her.
In the last few months she had begun talking about how everything was going to change and she would miss Regina when she went to college. Regina didn't like her life the way it was but she needed Emma in it. Emma was her constant. Her rock.
Her idiot. That wa her main thought when Emma broke out in laughter. She could feel the vein on her forehead pulsating and clenched her fists.
"Scruff face?! Gina is-is that your best insult?" Her words were interrupted by more laughter and Emma tried her best to stand, but had to hold her own stomach.
"He is a unshaven, unwashed hooligan with more than questionable ethics and his car is pile of junk!" Regina almost yelled. Emma almost lost it again and just as Regina was turning to leave her, she felt a tug on her wrist.
"-Wait!" Heavy breathing "Don't go. Your right. You're right okay?" Emma said catching her breath finally.
"Of course I am." Regina said. She waited.
Emma finally stood upright so Regina could see the huge smile on her face. She stepped closer to Regina and for a moment Regina thought they were going to hug, but Emma continued to take the jacket of of her shoulders.
"You look better without it." she simply said. Regina had to look away to hide her smile.
"I don't want to fight Gina…" Emma took another step
"Your an idiot." Regina sid now looking into the deep green eyes of her best friend.
"You're right again." She brushed a strand of fallen hair behind Regina's ear and leaned in for a kiss. Her lips brushed ever so gently again Regina's.
They moved together and the kiss deepened. Emma's lips were soft and the tiniest bit sweet. When they both ran out of air Emma pulled back hold Regina's shoulders
"Woah.."
As soon as Regina opened her eyes she remember what this was. WHo this was. This was Emma. He best friend. Her only real friend. Her female friend. She panicked instantly. This would get her in so much trouble. Not to mention the relationship with Emma was probably ruined.
"You should not have done that…" she said, her voice still weak.
Emma squeezed her shoulders the slighted bit reminding Regina of their presence.
"Come on Gina. You didn't like it?"
"Don't push me Miss Swan!" Regina yelled. Emma shrunk back.
"Miss Swan?" she shook her head, "You know what, maybe you need a little push!"
"You truly are an idiot! I don't need a push to something I don't want." Regina said taking her purse from the ground where it lay forgotten.
"Something you don't want?"
"Yes! I don't want you! That can't be so hard for you to believe right?"
She shouldn't have said that. She had hit Emma where she knew it hurt. Emma's mouth fell open and Regina knew she had never expected such a low blow from Regina. From every one but not her.
She didn't say a word. And Regina was as if frozen in ice. Emma climbed down the cliff so fast Regina knew she'd never catch up, even if she did some how find it in herself to move. Which she didn't; not for another 10 minutes.
The next morning when she went to the group home to bring Emma te blanket and apologize for her freak out. She had practiced her words carefully, Ingrid told her Emma hadn't come home and she'd assumed she was sleeping at Regina's like so often the last few months.
Emma had not slept at Regina's house since elementary school. Cora had forbid it.
The missing person report went out before noon, but the police said they didn't have much hope. Her things were gone and foster kids ran all the time. Regina had felt her heart break when Ingrid had tried to explain that Emma was never a runner. Not since she was placed in Storybrooke.
It was true Emma had never run from any of the 3 homes she had been placed in since she came here. Since she met Regina.
She didn't come back. Not for Graduation. Not for next 3 months that Regina prepared for college. They had planned to spend them together.
Years Later (again)She looks sad. That was all Emma could keep thinking. Regina looked sad. Regretful and grief stricken as if coming here had been a last minute decision that she now regretted.
The funny thing was, the Regina Mills that Emma knew would not make such a decision last minute. Or any for that matter. She had probably been on the planning committee for this stupid reunion. Organized the balloons or some other cutesy bullshit.
Emma was crouched over in the bushes about 25 feet from Regina. Behind her to be exact. She was staring at the woman's back standinging ridged over by the cliffs edge. The same way she had stared at her when she had ducked down in her car this morning in front of the Town Hall.
Coward. What did she think was going to happen if Regina saw her? That she'd set her on fire? They were adults now. Well Regina was a least. Emma was hiding in a bush.
Why had she even come here? Stacy had made it very clear in her facebook post that only well behaved graduates were welcome at their High School Reunion. Emma did not fall under this category. She hadn't even walked the stage.
The defiant part of her had argued that she did graduate from Storybrooke High. Not with honors or as prom queen like Regina, but the fact remained. She had a right to be here. So why did she feel just as out of place as 20 years ago?
She had her life together. A steady job. An apartment, and even a pretty heavy flirt with that girl at her coffee shop. She had a regular coffee shop too.
Not like Regina of course. With her Political office and her perfect little patchwork family. Regina had adopted a kid, married a ranger, adopted his kid...Her life looked just the way Emma had always imagined it to be.
Who was Emma kidding? She was just as much a mess as when she ran away from this town. She had been so hurt and scared back then. Regina had been her saving grace. Her ray of sunshine for so many years but hearing her says those words had broke something in Emma that she hadn't even thought was still there. Hope.
"You may come out now Miss Swan." She heard Regina's smooth voice. It sounded deeper than she remembered it; richer like melted chocolate. She hadn't even turned around.
Emma climbed out of the bush with great trouble. Had she knew the whole time? Emma walked closer to the edge to where she could see the lake beneath but she was still far enough away from Regina.
"I wasn't hiding." Emma said defiantly.
"Of course not. The view is better from the bush is it not?" Regina deadpanned.
"It is actually." Why was Regina so calm. Was this just not as a big a deal for her?
"I'm sure. I didn't expect you to come her."
"Yeah. I didn't RSVP. I was in the area so I thought…"
"Boston is in the area?" She still hadn't turned around.
Emma had stalked Regina on Facebook and Storybooks Community website. It seems she wasn't the only one doing some stalking.
"Sort of. Would you prefer I hadn't come?" She asked. It was more a challenged than a genuine question.
Finally Regina turned her head and Emma could see the moonlight reflecting in her eyes. Along with the unshed tears.
"No." She whispered. Emma stepped closer.
"Cool." Idiot.
There was silence between them and Emma interpreted it as allowance so she took a few more steps and was now standing next to Regina. She had known the woman would be here, but seeing her in all her glory was something else than in her dreams and memories. She was so much more beautiful than Emma's mind could even imagine. Although it did try. Nearly daily.
Emma had been concentratedly staring out onto the water, when suddenly there was movement next to her. Regina had stepped out of her highheels. She was now so much tinier. Emma watched as she bent down and lay them on a nearby rock together with her phone and her jacket.
"Regina?" She asked unsure.
"Emma, I remember what you said the last time we were here. You said maybe I needed a push."
Emmas eyes widened as Regina was now stepping even closer to cliffs edge. She was now not even a foot away from it. She reached out her arms for Emma. aNd without even so much as a second though Emma followed her, took her hands and looked into her eyes. The tears were now streaming down.
"Push me." She said softly.
"Regina I can't. You might hurt yourself and that suit is worth more than I make in a month probably and-"
The rest of the sentence was lost in a kiss. It was deep and fast. Regina was holding on to Emma's jaw, running her hands through Emma's hair. It seemed like she had 6 arms suddenly. When they ran out of air and both their lips were bruised Regina pulled back.
"Push me Emma. Or I'll never jump. I need you." She was breathless and begging.
And that last sentence. I need you. Despite all the heartache and the pain, she knew it was true. They needed each other. So she did. She pushed her off the cliff and watched the woman that she loved fall into the water as if in slow motion.
She pushed her but it only took a split second for her to jump after her. She didn't know what this was, but they were in it together.